"So long as the laws remain such as they are today, employ some discretion: loud opinion forces us to do so; but in privacy and silence let us compensate ourselves for that cruel chastity we are obliged to display in public"

This quote by Marquis de Sade speaks to the concept of discretion in the face of oppressive laws. He is suggesting that while we must follow the laws of the day, we should find ways to reveal ourselves in personal. This could be translated as a call to discover methods to express ourselves in a way that is not in direct opposition to the laws, but still enables us to express our real selves. He is recommending that we must utilize discretion in our public lives, but find methods to compensate ourselves in private. This might be viewed as a method to preserve our autonomy and freedom of expression, even in the face of oppressive laws. In essence, he is suggesting that we should discover methods to reveal ourselves in a way that is not in direct opposition to the laws, but still permits us to express our true selves.